Flipping through channels the other night, I found myself in an interesting juxtaposition between an old Siskel & Ebert from around 1980, and News Magazine 20/20’s take on YouTube. First of all, please tell me you remember Siskel & Ebert…the Chicago-based movie critics from “Sneak Peaks” and “At The Movies”? You know, it’s where “Two Thumbs Up” started? As a kid I used to watch this show religiously as we didn’t go to too many movies. And I loved movies. The storytelling, the artistry, the locations & sets, costumes, and characters all encouraged my imagination. So while I didn’t go to a lot of movies as a kid, I did know about movies from Siskel & Ebert. I loved the whole art of moving-going so much that I ended up working at a movie theater in high school and early college. To be a part of the movies, even on that small, front-line scale was exciting. As for 20/20 and YouTube, it was a jolt into how fast and furious communication and entertainment enter our lives today. So it was 1980 versus 2011.
Part One: Siskel & Ebert
This particular episode was recalling sex symbols. Yep, sex symbols. Now keep in mind this episode was from roughly 1980, so the sex symbol of that moment was Bo Derek. Clips of her running in slow motion on the beach, from Dudley Moore’s fantasy perspective in the movie, Ten, were abound. And Derek is lovely. Thirty years later the woman is still amazingly beautiful. John Corbett is one lucky guy. But what I found more interesting than Siskel & Ebert’s wardrobe was their commentary on sex symbols.
The crux of their discussion was how women, including sex symbols, were depicted over the years. And they were focusing on how women, “these days,” were becoming more in the power seat when portraying sexual relationships. I found it amusing, interesting, and curious at the same time. Because even though we live in a time when women are taking control of their happiness, there was a time, not all that long ago, when women weren’t. And that may seem foreign to anyone under the age of 25. In 1980, the idea a woman would ask a man on a date, let alone be in the lead to ask for anything (job, raise, sex, etc.) in mainstream movies was avant-garde. And Siskel & Ebert were sharing just how much Hollywood was shifting at the time. And make no mistake…it was a good shift; reflecting that women could (and should) ask for what they want.
Part Two: YouTube on 20/20
I just heard the Siskel & Ebert piece and went channel surfing. I landed on 20/20’s piece on the impacts of YouTube. In a world where uploading a video from your camera takes no time at all, amateur movies and stardom can happen just as quickly. With images of tornado chasers in Joplin, Missouri; a young voter singing an adoring song for Obama; and a slew of honest/funny conversations with innocent kids, everyday people are instantly changing their lives. It’s a far different world today than in Bo Derek’s 1980. It’s faster. And I don’t know about you, but I’m finding I can’t keep up with the influx of information and images that deluge my world on not just a daily basis, but an hourly basis. And frankly, it’s a tad scary because I don’t see it slowing down. Does everything need to be so fast? Seriously, does it? Nowadays it’s not just who is the sex symbol of the moment…it’s who is the sex symbol right this minute.
Part Three: What the heck does this have to do with Sunday Boyfriend?
Thanks for hanging in there with me. What do Siskel & Ebert, and YouTube have to do with Sunday Boyfriend? One word: Perceptions. Let me walk you through what I’m thinking here. In 1980, Siskel & Ebert were sharing Hollywood’s shift of making movies with more aggressive female characters who went after what they wanted—be it sex, a career, a divorce, etc. Hollywood determined the tone/set the perception just as much with publicity as with the movie itself. And while perception isn’t always reality, Hollywood tends to, sometimes, mirror what society is on the cusp of embracing. And when moviegoers watch they get new ideas.
Thirty years later with YouTube, everyday people are sharing their stories, their views, and their perceptions. And if it’s a strong enough story, a kitschy enough song, a sensational enough image, it could garner a million plus audience in no time and make news. But before the mass audience, it’s still one person’s perception before it gets on YouTube; one person, one idea, one perception that can introduce new ideas in a flash.
What I want you to take away from this Sunday Boyfriend post is to remember you have the power to set the tone with your own perceptions to live the life you want. You can choose to perceive the world as full of possibilities, or limiting. You can choose to perceive yourself as someone who goes after what you want, or you can sit on your hands. I hope you perceive yourself as someone who is able to live a fuller life by being open to what you can do, rather than what you can’t. And I hope you always think of yourself as a sex symbol…no matter what Hollywood or YouTube puts out there. What you need your Sunday Boyfriend for is between you and your Sunday Boyfriend. Those are the only two perspectives that count. Just promise me you won’t put up any SB videos on YouTube, okay? Because then it’s a whole different perspective.
As always…stay comfy and check out my blog, Facebook page, and Twitter for all things Sunday Boyfriend.
